diff --git a/fs/afs/cell.c b/fs/afs/cell.c
index 296b489861a9..1522fadd8d2d 100644
--- a/fs/afs/cell.c
+++ b/fs/afs/cell.c
@@ -404,10 +404,12 @@ static int afs_update_cell(struct afs_cell *cell)
 		if (ret == -ENOMEM)
 			goto out_wake;
 
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		vllist = afs_alloc_vlserver_list(0);
-		if (!vllist)
+		if (!vllist) {
+			if (ret >= 0)
+				ret = -ENOMEM;
 			goto out_wake;
+		}
 
 		switch (ret) {
 		case -ENODATA: